Cold weather

[Will]

Yeah, I saw minus 2 in the other half's car this morning while de-icing it.
Incidentally (and I'm sure this will provoke some interesting comment), who does what to clear a frozen windscreen?
I normally chuck warm water on and work quick with the old squeegee. Only warm from the tap mind, not boiling. I have heard people say "you'll crack the screen". But I've always done it on every car I've owned with no problem.

 

[AmericanThunder]

I turn on the heaters and then attack the screen with a plastic scraper. I’m pretty diligent and clear all the windows before moving off too.

 

[Will]

I turn on the heaters and then attack the screen with a plastic scraper. I’m pretty diligent and clear all the windows before moving off too.

When I am in a rush (normally most mornings lol), I find scraping a bit slow compared to warm water. But I am the same and like to fully clear all of the windows. I can't stand seeing people driving while trying to peer through a clear circle of windscreen about the diameter if a Quality Street tin. Bloody dangerous!

 

[TransAmDan]

Had a good ice-pack on the windshield this morning,it was a superb work out clearing that off. I think it rained in the night and then froze solid by morning, all the door handles were frozen.

Yesterday I did go with a kettle with warm water from a tap, its on the drive so if the water re-freezes it dosn't matter so much. People assume that when you use a kettle they picture boiling water, but any water above freezing will de-ice, so luke warm/cold is what I use, but mainly I'm there with the scraper. If I time it right Sarah is out there first de-icing my car.

 

[AmericanThunder]

The issue for me is that windscreens are laminated, meaning they have multiple layers of thin glass bonded together. If the water is even slightly too warm the layers will expand at different rates and hey presto, it cracks.
I’ve always just gone with the scraper approach, not least because it also allows the thick cold engine oil time to warm up at a nice slow RPM before you begin to ‘lean’ on the engine.

It may not make a difference when the glass frost is around -1, but the temperature difference would be much more extreme if the temperature was -10 or colder.

 

[Will]

Yeah, it was strange this morning because the car just looked wet but was actually frozen. It wasn't frost but frozen rain. Scraping didn't seem to touch it so I had to lay on the warm water as usual.
I get that re-laminated windscreens and can understand the science behind why a cold screen could crack with hot water. As I say, I have only ever used luke warm tap water, not boiling. I'd say that most of the cars I've had must have had laminated screens, so in 37 years of doing it, either it hasn't been cold enough, the water not warm enough, or I've just been plain lucky lol. And I always run the engine while clearing the screen.

 

[AmericanThunder]

Light dusting of snow this morning.

 

[TransAmDan]

No snow here, the ice was slightly easier to get off the car this morning. The clouds looks like they could eject some snow.

 

[Will]

Light dusting of snow this morning.

Hmmm... you're not all that far from me and Dan. I have a feeling we'll all get some before the winter's out.

 

[AmericanThunder]

Hmmm... you're not all that far from me and Dan. I have a feeling we'll all get some before the winter's out.

I drive north every day to North Gloucestershire and that light dusting of snow was all the way!

 

[AmericanThunder]

I drive north every day to North Gloucestershire and that light dusting of snow was all the way!

And I’ve just noticed that the snow hasn’t cleared all day either!

 

[saleen 192]

Just here no real snow yet just bitterly cold

 

[Will]

One thing that's not been mentioned about frozen windscreens, never switch on your wipers until you've checked they aren't frozen to the screen! ...unless you want a blown fuse or trashed wiper motor to deal with! lol

 

[an88fiero]

Oh great!!

 

[TransAmDan]

Oh great!!

View attachment 94206

Yellow snow is never good.

 

[chris68coupe]

'Watch out where the Huskys go, don't you eat that yellow snow'

Exerpt from a Frank Zappa song!

 

[AmericanThunder]

Saw some snow on the high ground driving home last night. It was enough to upset the car’s radar!
Don’t think it came to much but as I’m leaving for work in a couple of minutes I guess I’ll find out.

 

[TransAmDan]

Glad I'm not at the head office this week. Temperature is in Centigrade. Did you know - 40c is the same as - 40f.

Imagine the wind chill on top of that. It's going past - 64 deg C on the full weather forecast.

 

[AmericanThunder]

I did know -40 is where the temperatures combined.
-4 when I got in the car this morning. Nothing compared to Sioux Falls, but well below my comfort zone!

 

[an88fiero]

Past mine too - hateful bike ride in. Face is still frozen